Forty Under 40: Brad Bridgers

Brad Bridgers has been with Northwest Arkansas’ oldest independent insurance agency — where his late father Cecil Bridgers was a partner for many years — since December 1999, becoming a partner at the Rogers Insurance Agency in 2008.

Bridgers works with more than 350 customers and still enjoys making cold calls for potential clients.

“It’s the only way to continue to write new business,” he said. “I enjoy calling on new prospects.”

Though he continues his work in sales, his role as a partner has brought with it additional responsibilities of sales management as well as financial management of the agency.

“I love working with people and helping to protect their assets; every day is different,” he said.

Bridgers, a University of Arkansas graduate, obtained the Certified Insurance Counselors (CIC) designation in 2007 and in 2010 was awarded the Cecil Cleavenger Young Agent of the Year Award by the Independent Insurance Agents of Arkansas, an association representing more than 350 member agencies.

Bridgers has served on several committees at the Rogers-Lowell Chamber of Commerce and was president of the Rotary Club of Rogers in 2012.

But his most rewarding community activity is heading up the Ryan Murphy Cancer Fund, a nonprofit he helped start in 2006 to honor a former high school classmate who died of cancer. To date, the fund has raised more than $100,000 for the Cancer Support Homes of Benton and Washington counties.